iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus Announced

iPhone 8 is officially on the way.

By
Jonathon Dornbush

Apple has finally unveiled the eighth generation of its flagship iPhone device, and they will officially be called iPhone 8.

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus were revealed during Apple's September 12 event, featuring a new Retina HD display, a 4.7-inch screen for the regular iPhone and a 5.5-inch screen for the 8 Plus. These displays include True Tone, which adapts the color and temperature to ambient light. The new iPhones will be available in Silver, Space Gray, and Gold colors.

The iPhone 8's price will start at $699 (about R9095) for the 64GB model — and increase from there based on increased storage space — and the iPhone 8 Plus will start at $799 (about R10400) for 64GB. It will be available for preorder on September 15 and available to buy on September 22. iOS 11 will be available for all iPhone users on September 19.

iPhone 8 and 8 Plus will support wireless charging, using the Qi open wireless standard for charging. Any certified Qi accessories will work with the iPhone 8.

New stereo speakers are being included in the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, which are 25-percent louder than previous speakers. The new line of iPhones also introduces the A11 bionic chip, featuring a 64-bit design, six-core CPU.

The phone is made of aerospace-grade aluminum, designed with a a seven-layer color process, features a 50-percent deeper strengthening layer, and has glass design reinforced by steel. The 8 and 8 Plus are sealed for water and dust resistance.

As for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus' camera, the 12 MP reportedly provides 83 percent more light and is more power efficient. An improved portrait mode is also being introduced, while a dual-camera feature known as "Portrait Lighting" is meant to sense the depth of an image and alter the lighting as you plan the shot. Apple also designed a video encoder, meant to have faster video frame rates, able to shoot in 4K 60 frames-per-second and 1080p 240 slow motion.

Cameras on the 8 and 8 Plus have also, according to Apple, been calibrated with augmented reality in mind, while new gyroscopes and sensors are also included for better AR play.